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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bat — the animal
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bore — to tire
  8. cap — a lid
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. tube — a container
  13. ball — a great time
  14. foot — a measure
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. stem — to come from
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bat — in an idiom

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com